EMBARGOED UNTIL:  JULY 12, 1995 (WEDNESDAY)

Public Information Office                         CB95-125
301-457-2794
301-457-4067 (TDD)

Kimberly P. Moore
301-457-2797

    REGISTRATION OF MINIVANS JUMPS 250 PERCENT IN FIVE YEARS

     EMBARGOED UNTIL:  JULY 12, 1995 (WEDNESDAY) - Registration
of minivans was 6.1 million in 1992, up 258 percent compared to
the 1.7 million in 1987, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau
said today, based on the "1992 Census of Transportation, Truck
Inventory and Use Survey" (TC92-T-52).  The estimated number of
private and commercial trucks registered in the U.S. in 1992 was
over 59 million, an increase of 33 percent from the 45 million
registered in 1987.  "Although the registration of minivans
increased sharply, pickups accounted for 56 percent of all trucks
registered in the U.S.," according to James Aanestad of the
Census Bureau's Services Division. 

     Light vehicles (10,000 pounds or less) accounted for 
93 percent of the total vehicles registered.  Of the 55 million
light trucks, 73 percent reported personal transportation as
their major use.  Agriculture was the primary major use of medium
and heavy vehicles (10,001 pounds or more).

     Other highlights of the report:

     -    California had the most trucks (7 million) registered
          in 1992, followed by Texas with 4 million.   

     -    Personal transportation continued to be the most
          frequently reported major use (68 percent) of all
          trucks.

     -    Trucks that averaged 15 miles per gallon or more
          increased from 45 percent in 1987 to 59 percent in
          1992.

     The report also highlights physical and operational
characteristic comparisons from the 1992 and 1987 surveys on:

     -    range of operation            
     -    average weight
     -    hazardous materials carried   
     -    equipment type
     -    base of operation             
     -    total length
     -    vehicle size                  
     -    vehicle acquisition
     -    operator classification       
     -    year model

     The U.S. summary follows release of reports for the 
50 states and the District of Columbia, and has tables showing
vehicle size and major use of vehicles by state.  

     All data in the printed report will be available on the
Economic Census CD-ROM.  There also will be a separate CD-ROM for
the Truck Inventory and Use Survey microdata, to be available in
July 1995.

                               -X-

Editor's note:  EMBARGOED UNTIL:  JULY 12, 1995 (WEDNESDAY) - 
media representatives may request copies of the U.S. summary
report and state reports from the bureau's Public Information
Office by telephone:  301-457-2794; fax:  301-457-3670; or 
e-mail:  pio@census.gov.  Non-media orders and requests for the
microdata should be directed to the bureau's Customer Services